Tamás Darnyi facts for kids
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nationality | Hungarian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Budapest |
3 June 1967 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Strokes | Individual medley | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club | Újpesti TE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Tamás Darnyi (born 3 June 1967 in Budapest) is a Hungarian retired male swimmer. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest medley swimmers in history. He won four gold medals at two Olympic Games (1988 and 1992) and was unbeaten in the individual medley events from 1985 until his retirement in 1993. He is the first swimmer ever to swim the 200 m medley (long course) in less than 2 minutes.
Career
Possibly one of the greatest medley swimmers of all time, Tamás Darnyi dominated his speciality between 1985 and 1993. He won the 200/400 m medley double at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, the 1986 and 1991 World Championships, and the 1985, 1987 and 1989 European Championships. He also won a European title in the 200 m butterfly, and a world bronze in the same event.
A teen talent, Darnyi might have competed at the 1984 Olympics, but both the Eastern European boycott and a personal accident prevented this. He was hit by a snowball in the left eye, which left him blind in one eye. After recovering, he started an unbeaten streak in medley events that lasted from 1985 to 1993. During that period, he bettered the world record in both medley events three times. After his final European title in 1993 (400 medley), he retired and managed a Budapest sports school.
He was named Male World Swimmer of the Year in 1987 and 1991 by Swimming World magazine. He was elected Hungarian Sportsman of the Year in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990 and 1992 for his achievements.
See also
In Spanish: Tamás Darnyi para niños
- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- World record progression 200 metres medley
- World record progression 400 metres medley
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
Records | ||
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Preceded by Alex Baumann |
Men's 200 metre individual medley world record holder (long course) 23 August 1987 – 20 August 1989 |
Succeeded by David Wharton |
Preceded by David Wharton |
Men's 200 metre individual medley world record holder (long course) 13 January 1991 – 11 September 1994 |
Succeeded by Jani Sievinen |
Preceded by David Wharton |
Men's 400 metre individual medley world record holder (long course) 19 August 1987 – 11 September 1994 |
Succeeded by Tom Dolan |
Awards | ||
Preceded by Matt Biondi |
World Swimmer of the Year 1987 |
Succeeded by Matt Biondi |
Preceded by Mike Barrowman |
World Swimmer of the Year 1991 |
Succeeded by Yevgeny Sadovyi |
Preceded by Attila Mizsér |
Hungarian Sportsman of The Year 1986-1988 |
Succeeded by László Fábián |
Preceded by László Fábián |
Hungarian Sportsman of The Year 1990 |
Succeeded by István Kovács |
Preceded by István Kovács |
Hungarian Sportsman of The Year 1992 |
Succeeded by Antal Kovács |
Preceded by Michael Groß |
European Swimmer of the Year 1987 – 1988 |
Succeeded by Giorgio Lamberti |
Preceded by Adrian Moorhouse |
European Swimmer of the Year 1991 |
Succeeded by Yevgeny Sadovyi |